Off-ice official honored for 50 years in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS - Throughout the St. Louis Blues 50th anniversary season, many have been recognized for their on-ice accomplishments. The most glorious moments in Blues history have been revisited, tribute has been paid to the greats like Bob Plager and season ticket holders have been thanked for supporting the team through it all.
But there's another person, one behind the scenes, who has spent 50 years of his life around the Blues, and that's off-ice official Ed Martz.

On Saturday, the crew of St. Louis-based NHL off-ice officials presented Martz with two framed game sheets from 1967, the Blues' inaugural season. One was signed by him, the other by his father, who was also an off-ice official.
Long-time friend Bob Plager also shared in the excitement as the two tossed around stories from the years, and it was clear that sharing the moment with his coworkers was the icing on the cake.
"It was a big surprise. I wasn't expecting this at all!" said Martz. "It means a lot coming from the guys. We have a great crew, we do good work and we have a lot of fun. I really appreciate everything they've done."
And as long as he has something to say about it, he doesn't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.
"It just went by so fast," said Martz. "But even after 50 years, I don't want to retire. Hockey is a great sport… I've always loved it, and I still love it."